Magical Competition
by ghostgirl19
Summary: Princess Emma has been invited along with nineteen other girls to the kingdom of Alaok, to compete for the regard of Prince Jax, and ultimately become his wife. (Permanently discontinued)
1. Chapter 1: Invitation

**Chapter 1: Invitation**

"Emma?"

The princess glanced up from her desk, her hand lowered as she put down the soft brush.

She smiled, "yes, Lily?"

Her Lady-in-Waiting held out a sealed note, "it's a letter from the Kingdom of Alaok. It's addressed to you, but we've never associated with them at all. I have no idea why they would send a letter here."

Emma stood, taking the note. "Well, I guess we'll have to see why, won't we?" She smirked playfully as she broke the gold-colored seal, unfolding the fine paper.

 _To Princess Emma of Iridium,_

 _Hello, Your Highness. I know we do not have much of an acquaintance, due to the distance between our kingdoms, but I hope that will not stop you from putting this letter down._

 _It would be my honor to invite you to my kingdom, Alaok, to compete for my son, Prince Jax's, regard, and ultimately become his wife. You would be staying in a luxurious guest room, complete with all necessities, although you are free to bring whatever you would need to feel at home._

 _You would be staying for a month, so my son can get to know each one of you. Yes, each one. Twenty girls have been invited, including you, so it would be safe to suspect that nineteen other girls will join your company. If you happen to accept, that is._

 _You would be free to roam the castle grounds, if you do so wish, along with other rooms in the castle, for example, the Library. You may go into town, if you have a suitable chaperone. Do not feel that you would be trapped._

 _If you do not desire my son's regard, then feel free to stay here, anyway. I am always wanting to have new acquaintances, and I have no doubt that you would be a fine one to have._

 _Above all else, I'd say it would be a great adventure for you. Women of your stature do not have many chances to leave their own kingdom, so a chance to travel far I'm sure would be able to entice any princess._

 _I do hope that you will accept, Your Highness. If you will, then please sign a letter of consent, along with your father's signature, back to me. If not, then kindly send your refusal. My opinion of your kingdom will not change should you refuse, there is no danger of angering me or creating a foolish war._

 _I await your reply, Your Highness. Please respond within five days, for the move-in day will be the first of May._

 _King Jacob of Alaok_


	2. Chapter 2: Please?

**Chapter 2: Please?**

"A contest for a man's attention?" Lily scoffed, "isn't that degrading, Emma?"

"I prefer not to think of it as degrading, Lily," the princess smiled. "Just think of the adventure I'll have! I'll be able to make some friends, explore new places, maybe trade spells with other witches if they're there. It'll be so much fun!"

"But what about the prince? Isn't your main goal to get him to like you?" Her Lady-in-Waiting wondered.

"I'm not at all concerned about the prince, there's going to be twenty girls there, what are the odds that he'll like me? Besides, there are many other girls that are more pretty than I."

"Emma," Lily glared, "you're a very beautiful girl. Many people think that, I don't know why you're so blind to the fact."

The princess rolled her eyes, "whatever you say, Lily. Anyway...do you really not want me to go? Because if you don't think it's wise I can stay home." There was an obvious note of disappointment in her voice.

Lily took a deep breath, then let it out. "I've been watching over you since you were a baby, even more so since your mother-God bless her soul-passed on." She sat on the bed next to Emma, "so I am honest when I say that you are mature for your young age of seventeen. Therefore, I believe that if you were to go, you would be safe and careful with your decisions."

Emma smiled brightly, was about to say something, only to get interrupted by Lily.

"However, you have to convince your father to let you go."

"No!"

Emma sighed, "please, Father?"

"I said 'no,' Emma. I'm not letting you out there all by yourself."

His daughter pouted, "I won't be by myself! The King will be there, along with nineteen other princesses! I'm seventeen years old and have never been outside the castle walls. Please, Father? I promise to be on my best behavior and be a good representation for our kingdom!"

King Francisco frowned, letting out a breath. He pulled his daughter close, kissing the top of her head. "I know you're a good princess, you're mature enough to handle travelling to another kingdom without me. But that's the thing, I won't be there. You're my baby girl, I already lost your mother, I don't want to lose you too."

Emma, with a tear rolling down her cheek, hugged her father tight. "You won't lose me. I'll only be gone for a month, then I'll return home and everything will be normal again."

"But what about Prince Jax?"

Emma grinned, "he won't have any effect on me, Father. I'll go, enjoy the sights, have my little adventure, make some friends, then come home. Nothing will change."

He smiled, ruffling her hair. "I hope so. Although, I have to warn you," he donned a rare smirk, "those who scorn love are often the ones who fall the hardest."

The princess laughed, "I'll remember that at the wedding that I won't have."

Her Father signed the letter of consent, and soon it was being sent back to the kingdom of Alaok.

King Francisco sat on a plush chair in his study, staring at a portrait of his late wife.

"She's growing up, Maria." He smiled, "I have a feeling things are going to change because of this competition."

Of course, the portrait didn't respond. The woman's smile and eyes were forever frozen.

"Do you remember how we met?" He went on, ignoring the silence. "We were at a ball, held by my father. Every royal from kingdoms far and near were invited, and luckily you received an invitation as well. I was on my way to get something to eat when someone bumped into me...or, _I_ bumped into _you_ , as you would always insist," he chuckled.

"Without looking, I yelled at the person. However, when I did look, my scolding died in my throat," he grinned, "while I was staring at your angelic beauty, you were telling me how rude I was, yelling even when you apologized."

He stopped looking at the painting to have a drink, after swallowing the contents, he gazed at the image of his deceased wife again. "I begged you for two hours to forgive me, and to dance with me. You kept walking away every time I came close to you, ignoring my pleas for a dance and forgiveness. I must've looked like a lovestruck fool...because I was."

He closed his eyes as the memory washed over him, "I'm not sure what eventually made you accept. Maybe it was just to get me to leave you alone, or I wore you down," he smirked, "I have a feeling it was the first, though. I couldn't get over how you felt in my arms, how close we were. I knew I had to have another dance, and shockingly enough, you accepted. We danced together for the rest of the night, and a month later we were married. I knew that night that I wanted you to be my wife, but I felt if I had asked then I would've scared you off."

The King opened his eyes, glancing down at his lap. "Soon after that Emma was born. I rememeber your beaming face as you stared at our little daughter. I must've looked the same way. I still remember how she was _so tiny_. But now she's seventeen, and off to a competition to win this Prince Jax's heart."

His eyes returned to the painting. "I know I said I don't want things to change, that I don't want to lose our daughter. Well, that's only half-true. I know I will never lose Emma, but I do hope she finds what we had one day. Maybe this Prince Jax is the one for her."

* * *

 **A/N: Thank you for the reviews! :)**


	3. Chapter 3: All Clear

**Chapter 3: All Clear**

"I'll be back soon," Emma promised her father with a tearful smile.

"We'll all be waiting," he replied, giving her a kiss on her forehead.

With that he closed the carriage door, and Emma was on her way to Alaok.

...

"Your Highness...Your Highness?"

Emma's blinked slowly, she stretched her arms and groaned. "Mmm, yes?"

"We're here, Your Highness."

At that Emma's eyes shot open. How could she have fallen asleep on the journey?! Well, it _was_ long...

Her attendant opened the carriage door for her, and she couldn't help but gaze at the castle in wonder as she took his outstretched hand.

It was large, with tall grey columns rising to the sky. Windows dotted along the front, evidence of many, many rooms. This castle was _much_ bigger than her father's.

Green grass surrounded it, Emma wondered if there were gardens behind the castle.

Magnificent. That was the only word to describe it.

"Are you ready, Princess?" The attendant asked.

Emma smiled, "yes, I'm ready."

The attendant carried her trunk as they walked to the front door. Before Emma had a chance to knock, the huge door opened, revealing an older man with black hair, light grey eyes, and stubble under his chin.

"Welcome! I assume you to be Princess Emma?" He greeted in an accent she hadn't heard before.

She nodded, "I am, Your Majesty."

He smiled, "good! You're the last princess to arrive actually, that's how I knew who you were. My servants will take over from here, to help you get settled in."

Emma turned to her attendant, "good-bye, and thank you for bringing me here safely and helping me with my trunk."

He bowed with a grin, "it was a pleasure, Your Highness." He turned to leave, and when Emma came inside, the door the shut. The King called for a servant to carry Emma's belongings.

"I am very glad that you accepted, Princess Emma. I am sure you are eager to meet the other girls who came, as well. After you get settled in your room, you can find them in the sitting room in the A Wing. Just ask the servant where you can find it and they'll direct you to it."

"Thank you, Your Majesty," Emma smiled, although she really had no intention of going. She wanted to make new friends, yes, but she was painfully shy. She didn't want to walk in a room and be the center of attention, she preferred to make friends slowly, by seeing each person face to face and striking up a conversation.

When she got to her room, the servant opened the door for her and Emma couldn't help but gasp. It was much bigger than her old room. The bed was high, and had curtains around it. The floor was polished marble, and on her left side was a fireplace. There was a writing desk in one corner, a chandelier in the center of the ceiling, and a couch in the middle of the room with a small table in front of it.

"I assume the room is adequate, Your Highness?" The servant asked with a grin.

"It is," she whispered, still gazing around.

"Shall I fetch a maid to unpack your things, or would you prefer to do it yourself, Your Highness?"

"I shall do it myself, thank you," Emma replied kindly.

He put the trunk on the bed, then left the room. Emma got to work, putting away her dresses and other belongings before laying down on the plush bed.

She almost fell asleep right there, but she knew that she needed to explore her surroundings. That's the main reason why she went on this trip in the first place.

Emma crept out of her room quietly, shutting the door while making as little noise as possible.

Choosing to go right, she wandered down the hallway, looking at the intricate paintings that hung on the walls. Her feet padded along the soft carpet as she went.

"Hey!"

Her heart thundering in her chest, Emma let out a yelp as she whipped around to see another girl. She had medium-length light brown hair with dark brown eyes and tan skin.

The girl made a face. "Jeez, you scare easily. I just wanted to talk, none of the other princesses here are worth making a conversation with, anyway."

Emma stayed silent.

The girl held out a hand, "I'm Andi. Well, Andrea, but call me that and you die."

Emma couldn't help but laugh as she shook the girl's hand. "Princess Emma, of Iridium."

Andi rolled her eyes with a smile, "here I am, making a casual introduction, then you have to go into all the formalities and stuff."

"Oh, I'm sorry!" Emma apologized, "I didn't mean-"

Andi laughed, "relax! Wow, you're really sensitive. If we're gonna be friends, you have to know that I'm very sarcastic. It's all a part of this awesome package," she smirked as she gestured to herself, causing Emma to laugh again. She liked this Princess Andi.

"Hey, I found the kitchens. And you know what that means?" she grinned.

"What?" Emma asked.

"Food! Come on!" Andi grabbed her hand and ran as she led Emma away, the two using their free hands to pull up their dresses so they could run faster.

"Should we be running like this?" Emma panted, "my Lady-in-Waiting told me it's inappropiate for a princess."

Andi snickered, "I do a lot of 'inappropiate' things. Or, as I like to call them, 'fun' things."

"And what if we spoil our dinner?" Emma questioned.

"We're only going to sneak a few snacks, that's it. Just-oh man, a guard."

Andi abruptly stopped, Emma nearly collided with her due to the suddenness of it.

She let go of her hand, the two girls putting on the illusion that they were merely having a stroll throughout the hallways.

The guard bowed his head at them, then continued on his way. However, as soon as he rounded the corner, they sped off again, Emma giggling at the rush it was bringing.

Andi stopped in front of a door, they both gasped for breath, leaning against the wall.

"Shh," Andi whispered once she caught her breath, pressing a finger against her lips. "We're really not supposed to be in here, so we have to be as quiet as possible."

Even though Emma knew she shouldn't be where she didn't belong, she couldn't help but feel excited. Besides, she liked Andi and didn't want to make her mad.

Andi tried opening the door, but unfortunately it was locked.

Andi opened the door quietly. After giving a look-around, she gave Emma the all clear. Smiling, she followed her new friend into the spacious kitchen. There was food everywhere, many fruits and vegetables in baskets...and was that a pumpkin pie on the counter?

Emma subconsciously licked her lips.

"We can't take the pie, they'll know it's gone," Andi whispered. "Let's just settle for some muffins, they have a ton of those."

The girls took six of them; turns out they were blueberry, Emma's favorite. They quickly left after that, running back down the hall with their stolen muffins.

They stopped in a random hallway, laughing while gasping for air.

"That was great!" Andi said.

"Yeah!" Emma agreed, taking a bite of her muffin. "I've never disobeyed before!"

Andi grinned, "well, with this friendship, be prepared for a lot of fun."

"Wait. You really mean that we're friends? Really?" Emma couldn't help but question. She didn't think it would be this easy making friends.

"Of course I mean it!" Andi smiled. "You may be naive, and a bit too innocent, but you're fun, and really nice. The other princesses aren't. Well, to be fair, Mia seemed cool, but she wanted to stay with the others. She wanted to 'get to know the competition.'"

"Well, it's a good thing I'm not really a part of it," Emma replied.

"What do you mean?"

"The only reason I accepted is because I wanted to travel and have an adventure, and meet new friends." She smiled, "thank you for fulfilling half of that dream."

"You're welcome," Andi grinned. "And what do you mean 'half?' We're gonna go on a lot of adventures together, because I don't care about this Prince Jax guy either. Thank you for saying that too, because now I don't have to worry about you being secretely after his kingdom and money. Not like Maddie, anyway."

"Who's Maddie?"

Andi adopted a haughty voice. "Princess Madeline Elizabeth Victoria Van Pelt is the most eligible princess of her age. With her glorious blonde locks and crystal blue eyes, why Prince Jax is for sure going to fall in love with her instantly!"

Emma giggled, "did she really say all that?"

Andi rolled her eyes, "no, her mother did. Unfortunately, Maddie and I arrived at the same time, so I was forced to hear her mother's bragging."

Emma laughed. She pictured a pretentious older women talking and showing off her child, with Andi standing off to the side shaking her head.

"Hey, I'm gonna head back to my room, my new maids will have a stroke if I'm not there soon to prepare for dinner," Andi looked towards the ceiling, before giving her attention back to her new friend. "I'll see you later, sit next to me, okay? I'll give you the run-down on all the princesses. Oh, you know your way back, right?"

"Uh-"

"I'll take that as a 'no.' Come on, I'll lead the way back to the rooms!"

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **Sorry about the delay guys, but I've been watching 'Daredevil' on Netflix, and finished it last night. It's so amazing! :D**

 **angelcreature13: Thank you!**

 **alli211: Soon ;)**

 **xDreamingAtMidnightx: Thank you for the ideas :D**

 **jemma lover: Thank you :)**

 **Jazmyn45: The concept has been done by many authors, I just wanted to try it :) And thanks!**

 **Guest: Thanks!**


	4. A quick, yet important, author's note

Hey readers. I'm sorry that this isn't a new chapter, but I had to say this. I just discovered that someone stole my story (A Jemma Halloween) and posted it on wattpad. You can just google 'A Jemma Halloween' and click on the link to wattpad. She goes by the name of MCSFJL. I'm 99% sure that it was a guest who commented on that story, asking to put it on a different website. I said no, but she did it anyway. I don't have a wattpad account, nor do I want to get one just to tell her off. However, if any of you have one, feel free to.

Please do not steal another person's work. I, and all the other writers out there, work hard on our stories. Stealing them is just plain wrong. Can you imagine someone stealing something from you? It would make you angry wouldn't it? Someone else taking the credit for your hard work.

I don't want to make this too long. Just please, please do not steal from someone else. Write a story yourself, you will take much more pride in it without having to steal.

Thank you.


	5. Chapter 4: Meeting in the Night

**Chapter 4: Meeting in the Night**

By the time Emma reached her room, there were three young maids waiting for her.

"Your Highness! We were starting to worry you wouldn't show!" One with short brown hair exclaimed, her bottom lip displaying evidence of a nervous habit; namely lip biting.

"Come on, we need to get you ready, Princess!" This time it was the blonde who spoke, gesturing to a chair in front of a vanity.

"Dinner is in twenty minutes, so we need to hurry," a redhead stated.

Emma said nothing as she went to the chair, letting the maids begin their work.

It was awkwardly quiet, so she decided to introduce herself.

"It's lovely to meet you, Princess," the blonde smiled. "I'm Crystal, the redhead is Ruby, and the one with black hair is Opal."

Emma giggled at the coincidence of all their names.

Opal rolled her eyes, "yes, it is ironic, isn't it? So much in fact, that Crystal came up with a name."

"The Gems!" Crystal supplied happily.

Ruby didn't say anything, just continuing her work on finding the perfect dress.

"Don't mind her," Crystal said, "she just gets nervous a lot, always needing everything to be perfect."

"I don't mind," Emma smiled, "I have the same problem, sometimes. Oh, and you can call me 'Emma' if you want."

"But that's improper!" Opal gasped, eyes like blue opals themselves widening.

"It's only improper if you call me by my name without permission," she grinned. "But I am giving you permission, therefore, it is only proper that you call me 'Emma.'"

"If you wish, Emma," Crystal smiled.

"Here is your dress...Emma," Ruby came over and smiled nervously, holding the not-too-formal dress in the air.

"That will be great, thank you Ruby!"

"You're welcome, Your-Emmma," she corrected herself in time, giving her a sheepish grin.

With five minutes to spare, the maids had curled Emma's hair, with some of it held back with a small tiara, and the rest flowed down her back. Emma thanked them, then waited for the escort.

There would only be an escort for the first week, to make sure you know where the dining room is. After that, you are expected to report to dinner/lunch/breakfast yourself. If you didn't show up (without a reasonable excuse) then you would be out of the competition and sent home.

Finally, a knock was heard at the door. Crystal opened it, greeting the young man that came through.

He bowed, "I am Daniel, your escort, Your Highness."

Emma's eyes widened slightly. This man was very attractive, with thick, short brown hair and clear blue eyes. It was a shame he wasn't the prince, because she didn't think a man could look any better than Daniel.

She cleared her throat upon realizing that she was staring, "thank you, Daniel." She rose out of the seat, looped her arm through his, and quietly they exited her room.

Along the way they made small talk, and overall Emma found him to be a likeable person.

"How do you like the castle so far?" he asked.

"It's amazing," she breathed, thinking back to when she first laid eyes on it, "beautiful."

Daniel nodded, "it is. Even though I'm only an escort, I'm so glad to be here. The King treats us all with respect, and we are well taken care of. The beauty is an added bonus," he chuckled, looking at her.

Emma could feel the heat rising to her cheeks, causing her to duck her head to try to hide it.

When they finally reached the door that led to the dining room, Daniel gave another bow, telling her it would be great to see her again. She smiled, thanked him, then opened the door.

* * *

Princess Mia had been walking down the hallway, too stubborn to wait for an escort. She was ready now, and she wasn't going to wait. She didn't need anyone to tell her directions, she could find the dining room by herself.

So lost in her thoughts was she that she didn't see the man that she bumped into.

"Ow!" she let out, rubbing her head.

"I'm so sorry!" the man quickly apologized. He bowed, "you're not hurt, are you, Your Highness? I'm so terribly sorry, I should've watched where I was going."

"Yes, you should-" she stopped upon looking at him.

He had light brown hair, ocean blue eyes, and the cutest 'worried face' she'd ever seen. He looked to be in his twenties, yet had a boyish look to him that she rather liked.

"I'm okay, it was my fault," she found herself saying instead. "I was daydreaming, after all."

"No, no. It was my fault," he insisted. "Are you sure you're okay?"

Mia found herself laughing, "yes, I'm perfectly fine. Let's just compromise and say it was our fault, agreed?"

He smiled, accepting that idea.

For awhile they just stared at each other, until Mia remembered the dinner...and the competition.

"I gotta go, dinner will be ready soon!" she said quickly, walking past him.

"Here, I'll escort you there," he called, catching up to her.

"I don't need help," she insisted, "I can find it perfectly fine on my own."

"...it's the other way."

Mia stopped, blushing in embarrasement. "...I knew that."

He grinned, chuckling, holding his arm out. With a sigh, she relented and took it.

"May I ask what your name is?" He asked.

"You kind of already did," she sniggered. "Mia."

"Daniel."

* * *

"...and that's Sophie, but she is one of the dumbest girls you will ever meet," Andi whispered to Emma.

"Andi!" she chastised.

"It's the truth," Andi snickered. "Now on Maddie's other side is Katie. All I know is that she seems pretty smart, even though she tries to hide it. I caught her trying to read a book in the sitting room earlier, until she saw Maddie coming over. I guess the three of them are best friends now."

She continued, "that one there is Gigi, so far the only thing I see is that she loves gossip. If you got a secret, she'll find out, and blab to everybody about it. Well, that's pretty much everyone. Any questions?" she grinned.

Emma, holding back a laugh, shook her head 'no.'

Finally, a door at the front of the dining room opened, and in came a young man with dark brown hair that was slightly in his matching eyes.

He had a small, modest enough looking crown atop his head, and his clothing was formal, yet casual at the same time.

He smiled, "I'm Prince Philip, Jax's younger brother. He sent me to tell you that he is sorry he couldn't make it to dinner, but he looks forward to meeting all of you." His eyebrows furrowed by the end, as he muttered something under his breath.

"It's his own dinner and he's not even showing up?!" Maddie exclaimed, "how rude of him!"

The prince shrugged, "that he is. So, I will be having dinner with you, tonight. I hope you will have me."

The princesses, knowing they couldn't turn him down even if they wanted to, nodded their consent.

"Great," he grinned. He sat down in the chair at the head of the table, just as the servants came to serve the food. It was also the time when Mia arrived, wearing a strange smile. Philip welcomed her as she took her own seat.

Andi was strangely quiet during the dinner, and Emma took notice. She barely looked above her plate, keeping her eyes glued to her food.

"Andi, are you okay? You're not sick, are you?" Emma asked.

She shook her head. "I'm fine."

"Why won't you talk or look up from your plate?"

"Because I don't want to, okay?" she snapped, causing Emma to flinch.

Andi sighed, looking at her. "I'm sorry, it's just...I-forget it."

Emma couldn't understand what was wrong. Her friend was perfectly fine until... _oh_.

She smirked, "it is because we have a new guest in here?"

Andi stayed quiet.

She almost squealed with excitement. It was torture to keep from shouting with said excitement. "You admire Prince Philip, don't you?" she whispered.

"Shh!" Andi commanded with a glare, "be quiet!"

"You do! This is so cute!"

"No it isn't!" Andi hissed.

"Yes it is!"

She rolled her eyes, "let's say that I do like him. I'm not saying I do, mind you, but let's say hypothetically I did-"

Emma giggled quietly.

"there is no way that we can be together. This competition is for Prince Jax, not his brother. I would be sent home if someone found out that I liked him. It can't happen."

"Yes it can!" Emma stressed, "he's a prince, too! He can marry you if he wants."

"He won't!" she snapped a whisper. Her eyes fell as she looked at her plate, tears welling up. "No man will ever like me."

"That's not true," her friend frowned. "You're pretty, fun, and nice. Those are three things that men love."

"I'm also more boyish than girly, sneaky, and an outcast. What man wants that?"

"Maybe Prince Philip does, you don't know," Emma smirked.

Andi stayed silent, willing the subject to drop. Emma reluctantly took the hint, smirking as she took a sip of her soup.

* * *

A particular loud thunder clap woke Emma up in the night. The princess gasped as her body nervously jumped. Her eyes looked to the window, the lightning lit up the room as rain pelted down on the glass.

Emma always hated storms; the loud noises and lightning scared her. Knowing she couldn't sleep until it was over, as blood was now furiously pumping in her veins at the shock of the storm, she wrapped her silk pink robe around her and left the room.

Her main goal was to find the library, a good book would help her to calm down. As she wandered the halls, she came to one that had portraits on each side of various people. She didn't know who any of them were, but they looked to be important. She guessed they were royals of the past for this kingdom.

Finally, she came to the last one. It was a bit difficult to see without lighting-a loud clap of thunder shook her as a bolt of lightning lit the hallway for a split second allowing her to see-and that split second was all it took to make her gasp.

The man in the painting was gorgeous. That was the first word that came to her mind. He had hair as black as night, and deep brown eyes. His lips were curved slightly, allowing the smallest smirk. He was dressed as a prince should, with a navy blue top with gold epaulettes on his shoulders trimmed with red. Golden buttons started from his neck and kept going down over his chest, giving him a regal look.

There was no name on it, so she had no idea who it was. A small spark ignited in her at the thought that _this_ could be Prince Jax, however, she willed it to extinguish. She doubted it was him, there was no way it could be.

Across from the mystery man's painting was Philip's. Emma smiled, remembering his kind ways at dinner. Her smile grew when she remembered how Andi instantly liked him.

She kept walking down the hallway. Where was the library? If she didn't find it soon then she'd never find her way back.

Emma came to the end, now she had to decide on whether to go right or left.

 _Isn't it always 'right?'_ She wondered, _it's never left. It never works out to be left. Then again, maybe it is..._

This time, a thunder clap so loud that it surpassed the others sounded, making Emma shriek in surprise.

"Afraid of storms, are you?"

She let out another small scream, whirling around to face the source of the voice.

Emma couldn't believe it.

It was the man from the painting.

* * *

Andi couldn't sleep either. So, she put on her silken green robe, lit a candle, and snuck out of her room. The princesses weren't supposed to be out during the night. She mentally rolled her eyes at the reason, _for safety_.

She supposed she could go talk with Emma. The princess proved to be a good person so far, she was nice and innocent, yet devious at times. Andi pictured herself and Emma to remain friends for awhile, maybe for the rest of their lives.

It was true what she said to Emma at dinner, that she was an outcast. No one wanted to be around a princess that knew how to fight, occasionally stole food from the kitchens, and overall was the total opposite of what a princess should be.

She put up a front pretending that she didn't care, but deep, deep down she did. She hoped that this Emma would be a great first friend.

Andi knocked lightly on the door, "Emma?" she whispered as quietly as she could, trying not to wake anyone else.

Nothing.

"Are you sleeping?" She knocked quietly again.

No answer.

Andi sighed with defeat. Her stomach rumbled, elicting a grin.

Time for a late night snack.

Andi ran as fast as she could without letting the candle go out down the multiple hallways, her bare feet padding silently on the floor. She reached the staircase which led to the kitchens. She raced down them, stopping at the door.

With a grin she opened it, letting the candle to it's job of lighting the room.

She stifled a gasp.

Prince Philip stepped out of the shadows, a smirk curving his lips.

"So _you're_ the kitchen thief, huh?"

* * *

 **A/N: Sorry guys, I've been busy these last few days. I hope this chapter was worth the wait! Thank you for the support, by the way. I'm happy she took down the story :)**

 **alli211: Thanks!**

 **Under The Starry Night Sky: Omg I love Daredevil! One of the best shows I've ever seen!**

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 **TrinityBliss: Panthera X'D I'll take it into consideration! Thank you so much :)**

 **Danielle: Thank you, I think she'd act like this too XD And Sophie is a princess...uh oh...**


	6. Chapter 5: Winner To Loser Real Quick

**Chapter 5:**

Emma didn't know what to say, she just kept staring at him in shock.

He casually took a step closer, "it's a little late to be out of your room, yes?" Emma was able to make out a flash of white as he smiled.

"Uh...I-um..." For once the princess couldn't speak.

"You know," another step, "I could have you disqualified for this. A princess out of her room at this hour is simply improper."

 _That_ was enough to get her to talk. "No! Please don't disqualify me!"

"And on your first day too," he clicked his tongue, shaking his head. "It would be a pity to send you home this early."

"On what authority do you have to send me home?" She asked shakily, though from her response she built up some courage. After all, she did have no idea who this man was. He could've been a servant for all she knew.

Suddenly he disappeared. Emma blinked, wondering what had happened. Was that all even real?

Before she could turn her head to try and find him, he reappeared in front of her, with his hands on either side of her head thus effectively trapping her.

Emma barely had time to gasp in surprise.

He grinned, "I'm the man that can make you go from a winner to a loser real quick." He snapped his fingers for emphasis, "so I'd be careful if I were you, Em."

"How do you know my name?" she questioned nervously, heart beating erratically. She wasn't sure if it was because of his ability to disqualify her, or the close proximity.

He leaned his face closer to hers, smirking. "You've caught my attention."

"Is that good or bad?"

"Depends on how you want to see it," he shrugged. He backed away, freeing her.

"See you soon," he winked.

"Wait, who are you?!" Emma exclaimed.

"You'll see soon," he smirked before pointing a finger at her. Emma shut her eyes, preparing for something...yet she felt nothing.

She slowly opened an eye, then opened the other when she knew where she was.

Emma was back in her bedroom.

* * *

"I-uh, I'm not-"

Prince Philip took a step closer, "lying doesn't become you, Princess."

Andi scowled, "I don't care what 'becomes me,' and my name is Andi!"

"I know that," he glanced at his knuckles, "as the Crown Prince's brother, I get to know all the names of the contestants."

"Why are you here?" she asked.

"Isn't it obvious?" he grinned, "to catch the Kitchen Thief, of course! You see, the cooks today have been complaining of missing food, and I was alerted of it. Thinking it had to be a princess, since the complaints were made today of all days, I decided to investigate. Actually," he was close enough so they were only a few feet away, "I'm glad it's you."

Andi felt her heart rise up to her throat, "and why is that?"

He tilted his head, "you're pretty," he complimented with a smile.

The princess felt heat rush to her cheeks, "thank you." Then she thought of a small problem. "Wait a minute, isn't this competition for your brother? We can't...we-"

"Can't what?" he smirked. "We're just talking," he took on a mocking innocent look, "unless you were implying that there is something between us?"

"N-no," she looked down. "You're right! We were just talking."

Prince Philip smiled, tossing her something. She caught it, seeing that it was a blueberry muffin.

"Be careful on the way back," he winked. "I wouldn't want you to get disqualified this early. A prince would be very upset."

 **A/N: Hope you enjoyed! Thank you so much for the wonderful reviews everyone! :D**

 **xDreamingAtMidnightx: Thank you! :D**

 **multishipper123: They'll talk more soon :)**

 **DreamBeautifulxx: Thank you! And maybe... ;D**

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 **Guest: Thanks!**

 **JemmaISLOVE: Aww, thank you! :D**

 **Guest: Thanks! And I hope to be one day :)**

 **RandomGirl xoxo: They are ;) And Maddie will be in the next chapter!**

 **angelcreature13: Aww, thanks! :) You have a creative mind too!**

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 **shadowhunter167: Thank you, I hope you like the upcoming chapters as well!**

 **alli211: I love writing cliffhangers ;D**

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	7. Chapter 6: Breakfast

**Chapter 6: Breakfast**

Prince Jax smirked as he waited for his brother to appear, invisibly.

Finally, Philip slowly walked down the hallway, carefree and with a smile, even though it was one in the morning.

When he reached his bedroom door, Jax took that moment to make himself appear, causing Philip to jump and let out a small scream.

Jax laughed while Philip glared at him. "Really?"

"Yes, really," he laughed. "Where were you?"

Philip regarded him with a raised eyebrow, "and where were _you_? You weren't in your room, either."

"I asked you first," Jax countered. "Hey, you weren't with that Princess Andrea now, were you?"

"It's 'Andi,'" he mumbled.

"So you were," the Crown Prince grinned, "seems that my little brother has moves."

"Oh, shut it," Philip growled. "And I bet you were with Princess Emma, weren't you?"

"I was."

"Well, did she like you?"

"I don't know," he shrugged, "she didn't say."

Philip rolled his eyes, "well no woman actually tells a man what her feelings are first. She waits for the man to do it."

"I kind of told her, I mean I said that she caught my attention."

"And what did she say?"

"She asked me whether or not it was a good or bad thing. I replied that it all depended on how she saw it. I left after that, without giving her my name."

"Why didn't you give her your name?!" Philip demanded.

Jax smirked, "I want her to wonder, to dream about who that 'mystery man' could possibly be. Because I know she doesn't think I'm the Crown Prince."

Philip sighed, "must you always play these mind games?"

Jax chuckled, "have you forgotten who I am? Mind games are my specialty. Come on, let's get to bed. I have to be up for breakfast tomorrow."

His brother's eyes bulged, "you mean you're coming tomorrow? I thought-"

"I changed my mind," he grinned, cutting him off. "I want to spend some time with my princess, as I know you want to do with yours."

Philip's cheeks turned pink. "I-ah-"

"See, I know I'm right," Jax gave a smug smile, "tomorrow morning I'll send an escourt for Andi, with a message telling her to go to 'the Prince's study' instead. Waiting for her will be breakfast!"

"But, where do I come in?" Philip asked, confused.

Jax grinned devilishly, "I said that breakfast would be waiting for her."

Philip's eyebrows lowered, then his eyes widened when he understood his brother's words.

Jax laughed at his expression as he shut the door to his room.

...

Princess Mia stared at herself in the mirror, lips pursed in concentration.

"Listen Mia, keep your eyes on the prize. Prince Jax is that prize. You have to have a good match, marry a prince with wealth and power; Jax is both of those things. My kingdom needs a powerful ally; we're too small and vulnerable to attacks." She frowned as she whispered, "that's how my parents were killed."

She sniffed, glancing down at the vanity's surface. Quickly, she looked back at her reflection, "Dad always said to marry wealth with power, and I'm not about to break the promise I made to him to do that. I will not be distracted by a mere escort. That's all he is, an escort."

...

A knawing feeling was inside Princess Emma's stomach. She nervously twisted her fingers, biting softly on her lower lip. She had a feeling something was going to go wrong during breakfast; something was going to happen.

She wanted to know, yet not at the same time.

Emma took a deep breath, then let it out with a gentle 'woosh.'

"You're acting crazy, Emma. Just calm down, everything is going to be fine. After all, it's just breakfast, right?" She stared hard at her reflection in the mirror, "right."

...

A knock was heard at the door, Andi groggily rubbed her eyes as she stumbled out of bed.

"I'm comin," she muttered.

The knocking only increased in volume and length.

"I'm coming, I'm coming!" she shouted angrily. Putting her slippers on, she got to the door and almost ripped it out of the hinges as she opened it.

"What?!" she hissed.

The shorter, older man looked scared. "I-If you p-please, Your Highness, go t-to the Prince's study in the-the A wing."

Andi arched a brow, "isn't breakfast in the dining room?"

The older man bowed, "I only have my orders, Your Highness."

Andi shrugged, "sure, why not?"

...

Princess Madeline, or Maddie, was awake about an hour earlier than everyone else. She liked to use this time for horseback riding, and was eager to find the stables.

She found a back door out of the castle that led to the gardens. She looked around, then noticed a gate leading out of them. Smiling, she took that route.

In the near distance, she was able to see a medium-sized wooden barn. Maddie hiked up her dress and raced toward it.

When she got there, she was trying to catch her breath, when a man's face popped into view.

The princess screamed.

The man jumped back a little, "woah, sorry. I didn't mean to scare you!"

"Who are you?!" she demanded shrilly.

"I'm Diego, the stableboy." His brown eyes twinkled, "and I'm guessing that you're a princess?"

She scoffed, "I'm not just any princess; I'm Princess Madeline Elizabeth Victoria Van Pelt!"

Diego smiled as he bowed, "I apologize, Your Highness. I knew not to whom I was speaking."

She rolled her eyes, "no matter. Now fetch me a horse, stat!"

Diego, not knowing why, smiled as he complied. Usually he hated the snooty princesses, always thinking they were goddesses instead of mere humans, like everyone else. However, he couldn't help but be intrigued by _Princess Madeline Elizabeth Victoria Van Pelt_. Her loose blonde curls first drew his attention, then her striking clear blue eyes. Her lips were full and pink, and her curves were displayed wonderfully in her dress. However, when she actually opened her mouth...

Diego sighed as he opened the door to his horse's stall; Zephyrus. Smiling, he pet the horse's mane. "Hey, boy. Today you're going with a princess instead of me. Be careful with her, alright?"

The horse gave an upset snort.

"Oh, come on. It's only for a day. And there's carrots in it for you if you bring her back in one piece," Diego grinned.

This time it let out a whinny.

"Good boy," he smiled. "Come on!" He led Zephyrus out of the stall to Maddie, stopping in front of her.

"This is Zephyrus," he motioned to the black horse, "he's gentle and calm, he'll behave and won't throw you off or anything."

"Good, because I'd have your head if it threw me off," she replied with a curl of her lips in disgust.

"I sincerely hope that doesn't happen, then," he spoke sarcastically.

Her eyes narrowed, catching on to his tone. "Good."

Maddie started to climb on, when Diego offered her a hand for assistance.

"I am perfectly capable of getting atop a horse," she huffed.

He stepped back, "I meant no offence, Your Highness."

Suddenly, Zephyrus tilted sharply to the right, knocking Maddie off...and into Diego's arms.

Shocked, she stared into his brown eyes. He looked back into her blue ones with the same surprise.

That is, until she regained her senses. She glowered, starting to squirm. "Ew, get off me! You could have horse droppings on you!"

Diego glared at her as he set her down, "you're welcome for preventing your fall."

"How dare you!" Maddie hissed.

He bowed, "my apologies, Your Highness," he bit out.

"Never mind, I do not wish to ride today," she said, turning around and walking back towards the castle.

The stableboy smirked, "I hope to see you again, Princess!"

She didn't respond.

Diego placed a hand to his forehead, checking the temperature. Figuring it wouldn't hurt, he applied a little coolness just in case he had a fever. Because how else could he actually like Princess Maddie?

...

Princess Emma made her way downstairs with her escort, who wasn't Daniel this time. She didn't mind too much, it was just that she was happy that she had a friendly person to talk to and now he disappeared.

She was even more unhappy when she saw Andi wasn't present.

Wait.

Emma mentally scolded herself. How could she be so selfish? There could be something wrong with Andi...or worse, she was disqualified.

No, she couldn't be disqualified, someone would've known. It would've spread to the other girls. Then again, no one talked to her, so she wouldn't know.

She tapped a servant on the shoulder. "Excuse me, could you tell me if Princess Andrea is still in the castle?"

He tilted his head, regarding her question with confusion. "She is, Your Highness. She wasn't disqualified, she is just having breakfast in another room."

"Where?" She couldn't help but ask. "Why?"

"I am afraid I am not allowed to release that information. I humbly apologize, Princess."

He bowed, leaving her to go back to the kitchen. A bit annoyed, she took her usual seat without anyone next to her.

Where is she?

"Good morning, Princesses!"

That voice sounded _so_ familiar. She saw some girls release quiet gasps. This made Emma pick up her head, and she was stunned by the sight.

"Good morning, Prince Jax!" A girl greeted with too much pep.

Prince Jax. The man from the painting. The man from last night.

 _"You've caught my attention."_

She nearly gasped as her heart sprang into her throat.

His eyes travelled around the room, stopping only when he found Emma.

He grinned, giving her a wink.

She was too astonished to say or do anything.

Jax seated himself at the head of the table, calling a servant over. He whispered in his ear, just as the others were bringing out the food.

Emma was about to take a bite of her pancake when-

"Excuse me, Your Highness."

Resting the fork back on her plate, she turned to face the servant. "Yes?"

"The Prince requests your company," he looked towards the unoccupied seat by Jax. When they made eye contact, he sent her a mischievous smirk.

Princess Emma couldn't speak. Why was he doing this? Was he trying to embarras her? To make the other girls hate her even more? Why draw attention to her like this?

She numbly nodded her consent. Wordlessly she rose and walked to the chair while the servant put her plate in front of the new place.

The other princesses weren't subtle in their envious and hateful gazes. Well, except Maddie. She merely rolled her eyes and returned to her food. Emma felt that Mia's eyes could burn her.

When she sat, she kept her eyes solely on her breakfast. Cut, stab, bring to mouth, chew, swallow. She had to keep up this process if she wanted to get away unscathed.

"So, Princess Emma, how was your night? Did you sleep well?" Jax asked innocently enough so others would only regard it as casual conversion. They were the only two there who knew the real meaning behind the question. And it made Emma's cheeks redden.

She cleared her throat, answering without looking up. "Very well, thank you."

"You know, you should see the portrait hall. It has paintings of all of Alaok's past rulers, and current ones. In fact, mine is right across from my brother, Prince Philip's," he smirked.

Now he was making her feel stupid by not knowing who he was, making it look completely obvious. Maybe it was, but she didn't care, as she was beginning to become riled up.

"Actually," she replied calmly, "I believe I have already seen your portrait. The face was a bit smeared."

The princesses gasped while Jax's eyebrows rose. It was then that Emma truly regretted her thoughtless response. What if she got eliminated?

Then Prince Jax smirked, "in that case, I'll see to it that it gets fixed."

* * *

 **A/N: I'm so sorry for not updating for all this time, I've been SUPER busy these last few days. With prom, hanging out with friends, graduation, and college prep, I haven't had the time to post.**


	8. Chapter 7: Nerves

**Chapter 7: Nerves**

Andi followed the escort until they reached a lone door at the end of the hallway. She thanked him for showing her the way, since she was so mean to him earlier. It wasn't personal though, she was mean to everyone who woke her up. Eventually the servants got used to it at her castle.

Her castle...she missed home. She missed sparring with her father with swords, she missed the chef's cooking, she missed-

"Who is it?" A male voice called from inside. Andi hadn't noticed that the servant had knocked.

"Princess Andrea is here, Your Highness," the servant answered. Andi opened her mouth, then closed it. Berating him for not calling her Andi might make things worse after figuratively ripping his head off earlier.

A pause. Then, "send her in."

The servant bowed, then took his leave.

Andi, although confused, was also a bit nervous. Why would Prince Jax want to see her? Was he going to disqualify her? Did Prince Philip tell him about her stealing food from the kitchen?

Andi's eyes narrowed. If there was one thing she hated, it was a snitch.

Gathering her courage, she opened the door...to find Prince Philip sitting in a chair behind his desk. Across from him sat a plate of scrambled eggs, toast, and sausage.

Prince Philip took a quick sip of his orange juice before smiling. "How nice of you to join me, Andi."

She curtsied, cheeks coloring. She was _not_ expecting him to be there. "It's a pleasure, Your Highness. Thank you for inviting me." Although she wasn't fond of the curtsey, she remembered that he was a prince, and royalty always bowed to each other.

Prince Philip smiled as he bowed his head. "Oh, there's no need for 'Your Highness,' you may just call me by my name."

Andi smiled, glancing down at her feet. "S-sure...Philip."

Why was she like this? She wasn't acting any better than the girlish princesses that she always mocked!

He grinned, "please, have a seat and help yourself to breakfast."

For two hours they conversed easily, talking of average things. Favorite colors, hobbies, childhood, etc. Eventually, Andi found herself to be very comfortable with the prince, as if he wasn't a prince at all. Maybe a friend.

...

Emma decided to take a walk in the gardens. She smiled as she spotted a brilliant pink daisy, crouching down to sniff it.

"I assume you like daisies?"

Emma gave a small squeak of surprise as she stood on her feet, whirling around to face Prince Jax. Why couldn't he leave her alone?! Then she realized that thought was absolutely stupid for her to have, the whole point of her being here was so he'd pick her to be his queen. Only she wasn't interested in the contest...therefore she could have that thought. Still, his presence unnerved her.

"I-forgive me, Your Highness," she stuttered, completing a nervous curtsey. "I don't have permission to smell the flowers and-Your Highness, are you laughing at me?!"

Prince Jax chuckled, eyeing the princess with a smirk. "Are you always this jittery?"

"N-no! Sometimes I'm even jittery-er." After all those years of schooling with her governess, she still managed to become tongue-tied?

"It's just that this is a difference from the princess during breakfast," he paused to snicker. "My face was smeared...that was very clever, Em."

She blushed at the nickname, but tried her best to not pay any mind to it. "That was a grave mistake, Your Highness. I sincerely apologize for that thoughtless remark, it was very careless of me and I will not do it again."

He grinned, "yes, it was careless." He took a step closer to her. She tried taking a step back but he grasped her wrist, pulling her closer to him.

Emma gasped as her eyes enlarged. This wasn't how a prince was supposed to act! Although, to be fair, it wasn't as bad as the night they met.

"But I like whenever you get careless," he smirked, releasing his hold on her.

"I-Your Highness-"

He rolled his eyes, "I don't think we have to still continue with that. Call me 'Jax.'"

"But, Your Highness! That is improper!"

You had to be very close with a person of nobility or royalty to just call them by their birth name. Emma and Jax weren't like that!

"Who cares?" he grinned. "I call you by your name, even gave you a nickname."

"But you're the Prince, you may call me whatever you like," Emma frowned. She didn't like where this conversation was heading. "E-excuse me, Your Highness. I know you are very busy and I must be on my way as well-"

"No, I am not busy," he grinned. "May I walk with you in the gardens?"

She'd be a fool to refuse. He could kill her if he wanted to, order her head on a silver platter! The other girls would kill her if she accepted! But she's not here for Prince Jax's atttention, she's just here for the adventure. She isn't the most beautiful of girls, there are plenty who are better-looking than her. Besides, she didn't believe this prince could ever love her. He, a prince of one of the largest kingdoms, and she, a princess of one of the smallest. It was purely laughable, the idea that he could ever admire her!

"Yes, you may," she kept her voice as even as possible. If the other girls became angry, then she'd simply explain that she wasn't interested in Prince Jax.

Then why did his presence _still_ unnerve her?

He smiled, coming to stand by her side. Together, they walked slowly along the path.

"This garden was started by my mother, Queen Liana," Jax said wistfully, with a small smile.

"I'm sorry for your loss, I heard she was a great queen," Emma responded. It was true though, Queen Liana was known for being very smart, kind, beautiful, and caring.

"Yes, she was," he smiled. "Her people always came first, no matter what. Tell me, Princess, are you always involved with your people?"

Emma was a bit surprised by the question, but answered it anyway. "Yes, I care about my kingdom's people very much. My father and I help if a sudden disaster strikes, say, a flood perhaps. We always make sure they have enough to eat, or else we take from our own supply. However, we rule with justice, and are not afriad to sentence a man prisoner for a crime. If someone is a danger to the rest, we put a stop to it."

Prince Jax grinned, staring off into the sky as he mulled over this response.

 **A/N: Thank you all for your encouraging reviews! :D I hope you liked this chapter!**


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